ABSTRACT
The invention of youth is a relatively recent construction in the history of humanity. The physical changes and developmental changes which mark puberty signal a new stage of life, in which, often incrementally, the young person moves from being a dependent child to an autonomous adult. Life can suddenly seem like an endless experiment where everything is open to question including one's identity and beliefs and ideology may become more of a determinant of one's actions. The term 'coming out' is often associated with persons who don't identify as heterosexual and the process of revealing to others what they consider the truth about their sexual identity. Rejection of formal religions in their existing forms does not imply lack of interest in religion or spirituality perse. The physical changes and developmental changes which mark puberty signal a new stage of life, in which, often incrementally, the young person moves from being a dependent child to an autonomous adult.
